Report: Victory 0-2 Jets

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Melbourne Victory fell to a 2-0 loss against the Newcastle Jets at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong on Saturday night.

Summary

A Johnny Koutroumbis first half goal and Dimi Petratos scorcher late into injury time secured the three points for the away side.

Victory’s first chance came in just the second minute when Storm Roux looked for 100-gamer James Troisi with a cross from the right, Troisi managed to get a head to the ball but couldn’t put it on target.

Roux was in the thick of the action early, pushing forward to create play on the right side.

The home side was well in control of the game, with the defence holding the Jets counter attacks, launched by Jair and Roy O’Donovan, at bay.

A creative ball by Troisi put Kosta Barbarouses in on a tight angle but the New Zealand international was denied by the post. Troisi again set up captain Keisuke Honda who somehow managed to turn and get a powerful shot away, however, Glen Moss claimed the attempt.

Kenny Aithu displayed his pace in the 25th minute, passing multiple defenders before putting the ball over the bar.

The Jets opened the scoring following a defensive scramble in the 34th minute through Johnny Koutroumbis, who pounced on a rebound off Storm Roux to give Newcastle a 1-0 lead going into half time.

Victory thought they had clawed their way back into the contest early into the second half as Kenny found the back of the net, but the ball he had played earlier to Corey Brown was deemed offside by the linesman.

Dimi Petratos went close to doubling Newcastle’s lead in the 56th minute, with a dipping long-range effort that just went over the crossbar.

Victory continued to pepper the goals but couldn’t land a shot on target, with Barbarouses the main supplier of opportunities with his daring runs through the midfield.

Honda’s 78th minute glancing header across the face of goal was Melbourne’s best opportunity of the second half.

Lawrence Thomas denied a powerful Petratos shot in the 87th minute to keep Victory in with a shot at snatching a point.

James Donachie received his second yellow card of the match in the second minute of added time and was subsequently sent off, before Petratos unleashed an absolute belter from well outside the box to make it 2-0 and put the game to bed.

Result

Hyundai A-League 2018/19 Round 21
Melbourne Victory 0
Newcastle Jets 2 (John Koutroumbis 34’, Dimitri Petratos 96’)

Melbourne Victory: Thomas (gk); Roux, Deng, Donachie, Brown; Baena (Lesiotis 83’); Honda (c), Antonis; Troisi (Broxham 62’); Barbarouses, Athiu (Ingham 72’).
Newcastle Jets: Moss (gk); Georgievski, Boogard, Topor-Stanley, Jackson; Koutrombis, Kantarovski, Ugarkovic; Petratos, O’Donovan (Sheppard 81’), Jair (Champness 70’).

Yellow cards: Donachie 73’ 92’
Red cards: Donachie 92’
Venue: GMHBA Stadium